Right of way on SW Coronado

SW trails is advocating to make a trail in the Arnold Creek Neighborhood along the right-of-way on SW Coronado between SW s16th Avenue and SW Boones Ferry Road. Some of the adjacent property owners have raised objections. SW Trails has taken no action on this corridor since the last action reported below in 2015.

On May 13, 2013 Greg Raisman of the Portland Bureau of Transportation wrote a letter summarizing the dispute about making this trail. The gist of this letter is that the public has the right to travel through this right-of-way, but that a permit is needed before an official trail can be built.

On September 9, 2013 SW Trails sent a letter to Kurt Krueger requesting the removal of the encroaching fence. In addition Kurt Krueger was invited to the December 2013 SW Trails monthly meeting which he attended. See below.

On December 19, 2013 the Coronado right of way was discussed at the SW Trails monthly meeting.

Don Baack asked about the problem on the Coronado trail where an adjacent property owner built a fence. He said the fence encroaches 30 feet onto the 50 foot right-of-way.

Kurt Krueger of the Bureau of Transportation said there is disagreement in the office on how to handle that situation. He said they gave the owner two options: to grant a permit or remove it. Kurt said he would not give a permit as the right-of-way could be used at some point. He said some in the office want the fence removed now and some want to wait until there are plans for a trail. He said the trail has been used for some time and therefore they should move back a few feet.

Dave Manville said the trail makes a good route to Tryon Creek State Park. He said it is better than walking along Arnold where there is high traffic and no place to walk.

Don said if the fence is allowed to stay it would encourage people to do this in other such locations.

Kurt said it is difficult as the property owners are responsible to maintain the adjacent right-of-way.

Cary asked about liability and Don pointed out that if a trail is built by volunteers with permits it takes the liability off the adjacent property owner.

Dave asked about the permitting process and Kurt said they are working on it.

On August 20, 2014 this right of way was discussed at the SW Trails meeting.

Hans Steuch talked about the Coronado ROW. He said they sent out an email thanking people for walking and the enduring discomfort along the walk at last month’s SW Trails hike.

Hans said he informed some of the people that were opposed to the trail that they planned to walk that route and they did not object. He said he was surprised that people where there to protest the hike. He said there were four people with cameras heckling the walkers. There was also deer repellent that smelled bad. Hans said if he had known there would be problems he would have walked around that section.

He said there were 16 participants on the hike. One participant wrote a letter to SWNI. Hans said he received phone calls from city officials about the bad behavior of the people who were opposed to the trail.

Don Baack said there would be a letter about the use of the trail. Don said there was a letter from an opponent saying it was offensive to put the property owners names and phone numbers on the website.

Barbara Bowers said we should tell people up-front when there is a possibility of trouble on the hike.

Hans said he did tell people at Wilson High. We agreed to let people know at the beginning of the hike if there are any known potential problems on a hike. Alternate routes were offered people on the hike in question.

Patty Barker said people along the right-of-way of way were informed of the hike and they lost a lot of credibility by their actions.

Don asked what people thought about removing the names and phone numbers of adjacent property owners. Don suggested taking out the phone numbers.

Glenn Bridger said the person did not say how he was harmed by having this information on the web.

It was agreed we would remove the phone numbers and Hans agreed to do that.

On September 15, 2014 the board of SW Trails sent a letter to the Portland city officials (the mayor, several city councilmen, and other officials) about the possibility of SW Trails building a trail along SW Coronado.

On February 10, 2015 Don Baack sent an email to Christine Leon at PBOT asking for information about the removal of encroachment request of 9 9 2013 about SW Coronado.